“I enjoy the physicality of (run blocking) and just really getting into somebody’s chest and run them over,” Smith said. “That’s the fun part about football.”

That mindset of mauling defenders is appropriate when Smith needs to clear a path for a running back. But pass blocking requires more restraint, and Smith is learning not to be overly aggressive. Instead, he must show patience, keep his chest back and his facemask upright.

Wells also is trying to get Smith to be more mindful of his full task on a given play. Instead of just destroying the man in front of him, advance to the next level and clear a linebacker, too.

“Trey is a physical, physical player,” Wells said. “And sometimes, it sounds bad to say, but he gets so locked in to one thing when he’s got to do two things in that job, and he forgets about the second thing. That’s being a young player. We made those corrections, and he continues to make those corrections in game time, which helps.”

Except for the time Smith saw red and blue lights behind him while driving his truck a bit too fast traveling home.

“My heart drops. I’m freaking out,” Smith said on Vol Calls. “It was my first time ever being pulled over. I get to the side of the road. The officer comes up to my car. He takes one look at me and goes, ‘Oh, you’re the Smith kid, right?’ I said, ‘Yes, sir.’ He said, ‘Go Vols,’ and walked away.”

Butch Jones: Four Vols out with injuries for UMass game

Butch Jones addresses the media ahead of the upcoming game against UMass.